Category: <span>Liberty – Redemption</span>

Thinking in terms of Old year/new year? In many ways our lives progress that way. But, what about a new dynamic; time/eternity? Does the eternal dimension make time obsolete? Does God recognize an earthly calendar — valentine’s day, birthdays, father’s day, new years day? I noticed this: When I have a cold or flu, my body does not heal miraculously as New Year starts. My finances do not increase or decrease based on the simplicity of the Feast of Steven. My schedule often remains the same before and after birthdays and anniversaries. My point? Does God celebrate any days in particular ? Well, Paul taught us: “…this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. ” Philippians 3:13-14 Philippians 3:15 goes on  “So…

“And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1 David never forgot the love of his friend, Jonathan. This man had helped David escape at a time when Saul’s jealous wrath was pointed toward him. Jonathan was a friend that loved at all times, a brother born for adversity — a rare, but loyal and true friend. As we navigate the perils of the Christian’s call, we certainly have a similar friend, Jesus. Touched with the feelings of our infirmities, He meets us at the Throne of grace. Here we find acceptance in spite of our broken hearts, mercy that rejoices against a certain judgment. As the story of 2 Samuel goes, found in the shadows of Lodebar (pastureless), was a forgotten son of Jonathan whose name was Mephibosheth. “Then King David sent and brought…

2Thessalonians 3:13 exhorts, ” But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”. So also Galatians 6:9  “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. ” Weariness, frankly, comes under the category of “be not.” We should never allow weariness to eliminate our well doing. Why? Fyodor Dostoyevsky describes the practice of weariness in his famous work “The Brothers Karamazov.” In the chapter on “The Grand Inquisitor” Jesus Himself appears in 15th century Spain — a time when heretics were being burned at the stake. A small coffin is placed before Him, and a cry of parents to raise a child who had died. Jesus complies and the child comes back to life. However strangely, The Christ is arrested and incarcerated. As the story goes and I add my own interpretation, the appearance of the Christ and the resurgence of life-…

  “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4 “…advances in technology have provided both the blessing of a more informed public and the curse of a misinformed one — men and women who are sure they know the truth because of what they have seen or been told on social media.” “The advantage of a free press is diminished when anyone can claim to be an objective journalist, and then  disseminate narratives conjured out of thin air to make others believe rubbish.” “Each year, more states employ squads of opinion shapers to flood online sites. Extremist political movements … Engage in the same practice.” “These troublemakers can generate products that can show people… doing things they didn’t do, and saying things they never said…”  …

  “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Galatians 2:19-21 Let’s be honest, the Law excluded us from it’s righteousness, which righteousness is the reward for perfectly following it. That Law could never make those coming with sacrificial offerings perfect,  being weak through our fleshly nature. See Hebrews 10:1-3 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. Better Hope? “…(the law)…

Mad

“Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.” ― Phyllis Diller A joke? Yes. By a famous comedian and told laughingly. However, anger reveals a huge plague in the souls of many. It’s a pit which drags us in to it over and over. Some Bible verses are telling: “A soft answer turns away wrath: but a grievous word stirs up anger.” – Proverbs_15:1 “A meek tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.”- Proverbs_15:4 “A wrathful man stirs up contention; but he that is slow to anger appeases strife.”- Proverbs_15:18 Here’s some outside the Bible quotes: “The best fighter is never angry.”― Lao Tzu “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”― Ambrose Bierce “Anger … it’s a paralyzing emotion … you can’t get anything done. People sort of think it’s an interesting, passionate, and igniting…

The truth revealed in the real world has not yet come completely. The thoughts and intents of men’s hearts and minds provide an unparalleled guessing-game to the rest. We grope for understanding yet are thankful for the hiding place for our own inadequate understanding. In short: Romans 8:19  tell us “…the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.”  And also  ” …we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.” verse 22 The metaphor is of a mother in labor with child; father and siblings wait expectantly to see the baby. Mother is patient but anxious perhaps. The birth will be painful, traumatic, revolutionary. A big event. In the mean time, the creature views life through a glass darkly and only then, face to face. We must be honest, only those who have the earnest of the Spirit…

Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells us of a great problem, “It is nothing less than the problem of living the Christian life, the problem, if you like, of dealing with sin.” For this problem Lloyd Jones shares this verse from the epistle of Paul to the Romans: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 God’s answer for the bondage that fear brings is simply adoption. Two spirits are revealed in the verse.  one of bondage, one of adoption — these diametrically oppose one another, but, “The (Holy) Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” ESV Adoption is the antidote and Paul again speaks of the Adoption in his epistle to the Ephesians : “According as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of…

We often add sorrow to our blessings, but we should not because: “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.” Proverbs 10:22 These “blessings” are upon the head of the righteous as spoken in Proverbs 10:6. They are augmented with no “pangs” of grief, no cuttings or wounds. Yes, these “adorings” of God, these deep soul thanksgivings, these praise evokings, are without painful regrets, feelings of deceit, cautions of being cheated, or suspicions of fraud. There is no distortion, violation of rights, or irreverent treatment; as “violence” is on the mouth of those who receive unjust gain. Their mouths are well concealed as their intents are also — but the mouth of the righteous is a well of life, and his lips feed many. Proverbs 10:11 and 21 “The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver.” Proverbs 10:20 So, In John’s gospel we…

Fishermen wade smack-dab into the water where fish swim, as a blue heron readies for it’s own breakfast, lunch or dinner. Why do they go in the water as opposed to fishing from the shore? Here are some answers: “…wearing waders permits me to fish down stream and positioning my lures in the spot that is only possible while being in the water.”  “…helps me to avoid the many snags such as branches and tree trunks that are commonly found on the banks of many water ways.” “…With waders on I am able to go upstream 100 meters or so from the group and get the big ones all by myself. ”  outdoors.stackexchange As Jesus promises to make us “Fishers of men,” in Mark 1:18,  maybe lessons from fish anglers apply. The Pulpit commentary remarks, “It is plain that, in the pursuit of his calling, the fisherman has no power to…